We have reached a point in the house where we can relax a bit. We have rehabbed houses for 15 years, and while some of them have been in horrible shape (we actually had to jack one up and put a new beam under it), none of them have been a new build. We have done this by ourselves with the exception of pouring the concrete basement, lifting the walls, setting the roof trusses and putting the tin on the roof.
It has been a struggle at times, and I sometimes really thought we'd bitten off more than we could chew, but today, finally, as we were doing the ceiling insulation in the basement, this 'think' occurred to me. There is not one thing on our to do list that we have not done before. Putting up the ceiling, drywalling, ceramic tiling, installing the bathroom, the kitchen, laminate flooring, trim work, painting, installing light fixtures, siding the house, putting in the foldup attic stairs. No matter what we add to that list, We. Have. Done. This. Before.
I cannot tell you what a relief that realization is.
Houdi disappeared. He was gone for a day and a half and I was quite upset about this. Tim said, flatly, 'someone has taken him.' He was dead certain of it. I'm not sure where he gets ideas like this. I doubted it sincerely because Houdi is not a trusting sort of cat. He is very wary, and he would not allow anyone to simply pick him up and walk away with him.
I was afraid that perhaps he'd been hit by a car even though I saw no sign of that (and I looked). Perhaps the eagle had gotten him, if he ventured too close to the creek. Perhaps he'd gotten closed up in someone's garage...
I was in the shower last night, and I was really fretting about it. Suddenly, I knew exactly where he was. Tim had taken his turkey 'beard' up to his hunting room. I remembered that. William was here for the weekend, and the door was open for between the first and second floor. I was pretty sure he wasn't trapped up there, because he knows how to do a thunder paw routine on the door. He had to be upstairs on the third floor where we couldn't hear him.
I jumped out of the shower and went upstairs immediately. I opened the door to the third floor and called him and he was quite happy to see me. I had some cleaning to do, but it was much less than you would have imagined. He found an empty box!
Today was a very good day.
Next week, we expect to be ready for our next house inspection.
I know what you're talking about because we also renovated an old apartment and later built a house...
ReplyDeleteIt's good that you had this inspiration in the shower :-)) Moments of happiness.
A cheerful greeting goes to you from Viola
Hi Viola. It is hard work, but in the end, there is a tremendous satisfaction to doing it. The inner knowledge of 'if we can do this, we can do anything'.
DeleteI imagine it is a hugely satisfying feeling. I am impressed by you both.
ReplyDeleteIt has been a little frightening at times. Tim's stroke made things a bit trickier than I expected, but we're back on familiar ground now. If there is a problem, I will have enough experience to recognize it.
DeleteI'm glad you found Houdi, poor boy.
ReplyDeleteHow very satisfying it must be to look at what you've achieved so far and know that nothing is going to faze you as you finish your house.
It is a relief, for sure.
DeleteI am in awe of what you two are able to do, and always think that I have no talent for creation like that. Though I got to thinking, where my Hubs and I shine is in our yard. Over the last 24 years, we've created an oasis with plants and such and there's nothing we wouldn't attempt to do. So glad you found Houdi! I imagine he won't go up there again! Such a good boy, using a box.
ReplyDeleteThat is where I do NOT shine, and so I am envious of your skills. I think that is more that I never had the consistent time to devote to it. I have plans for the new house. I know how I want the yard to be. I'm retired now. By the time that I am 70, we should have the rehab finished. Maybe then I will have the time to do a nice yard.
DeleteWe live in a duplex, so the yard is small, and is fenced in around the back yard. So, it's easier to create beautiful landscaping in a small and compact space. We are glad we never bought a big house with a big yard. If our yard were bigger, we'd truly kill ourselves trying to keep up with it.
DeleteGood news on two fronts -- house and kitty.
ReplyDeleteI cannot tell you what a relief it was to find that cat!
DeleteWhat a good lil kitty boy. When my ex and I were still married back in the 70's w built a house together. People said it would be hard on the marriage, but we worked as a team and that was not what killed the marriage. I learned so many skills which aided me in my single life for the past 37 years. When friends say they "built" a house, they mean they paid someone to build a house for them. When I say I helped build a house, I BUILT a house, just like you guys. The only thing I won't do is electric, but I took a class at Home Depot to learn how to install pre-hung doors and put in 3 of them here, single handedly. There is not enough money in the whole world to pay me to do that again. This house has not one squared wall in it.
ReplyDeleteLOL. Your last line made me laugh. Our house has squared walls. Tim is a machinist and he will measure something to the very death. But we have worked in some very old houses where nothing is square. Or level. But for all their curious little quirks, there is this: a hundred+ years old...and still standing!
DeleteI'm ready to be done with this part of our lives. After this house is built, we do have another house to finish. Yes. I, too, have skills, but like you, I'm not interested in continuing to use them. Some new skills would be nice. Maybe like putting in a nice garden and yard, like Karla was talking about.
My ex was a machinist, also. That house was built with a micrometer in one hand. We also built a 20x30 two story barn with the same precision. At the end of construction, two of our helpers nailed a small pine tree to the peak as we had been told it would be good luck and protect the barn and its inhabitants.
DeleteMy cat Jack was accidentally shut into a room upstairs (where no one goes) for over two weeks. Seriously. And he was fine when we finally figured it out. I thought he was gone for sure. He has the tiniest mew of a meow and we never could have heard him.
ReplyDeleteCats.
You and Tim have spent your whole lives preparing to build your own house!
I remember the story about Jack. That always amazed me. Houdi is a very vocal cat. If I had spent anytime upstairs, I probably would have heard him at some point. I envy you a quiet cat with a quiet voice!
DeleteIt really is nice being handy at home renovations so you don't have to rely on a dozen different people to complete a hundred small jobs.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what Houdi's side of the story would be like?
As hard as it is to get people lined up, I think that it would have taken us twice as long to get anything done. It really is a problem here.
DeleteAll your past experiences with houses have added up! Such a relief for you. I would have no idea where to start...
ReplyDeleteAs people have pointed out before, you can teach yourself almost anything by looking on You-tube.
DeleteThe new house is going to be so perfect for you and the washer set will make your laundry room pop. Reading this to the end and seeing the cat was ok made my day. I cat set and have had the cat I have now 3 weeks, they are picking her up today, my house will seem empty for a few days. This cat likes breakfast at 5 am but she can wait until 7 now. Congratulations on the house and cat and neither of you killed the other in the house build. lol
ReplyDeleteI thought the stairs might be the thing that pushed us over the edge. We have it all done and dusted now.
DeleteSo glad he was all right and found a box as well.
ReplyDeleteMe too. I was awfully worried about that cat.
DeleteCats are the most curious creatures, to their detriment. Glad you figured out where he had gone to. Well done on your house build, most people would not be able to do this.
ReplyDeleteIt's just such a relief to finally be at a place that I recognize. That way, if Tim is having a problem, I am able to see it right away and be of some help.
DeleteI'm glad you remembered where Houdi might have been! I've heard similar stories from so many cat owners. In all the time I owned cats it never happened to me, but then, I lived in fairly small apartments.
ReplyDeleteI once had a kid leave a dresser drawer open. The cat climbed in for a nap. I was on a whirlwind tidy up, making beds, picking up toys, etc. and I shut the drawer without realizing the cat was in there. I found her later that afternoon.
DeleteGlad to know Houdini didn't make a great escape! I missed seeing my granddaughter's cat the last time I was there because of a closed door, too. They "found" her after I left.
ReplyDeleteHoudi. Huh. All this time I've been reading his name as Houdini.
DeleteNo. You're right. His name is Houdini. We just call him Houdi for short.
DeleteRelief!....and he usually went down, not up!!
ReplyDeleteYes he did. But he likes to explore, and he loves his boy who has a room on the second floor. He evidently saw the door to the third floor open and got curious about what might be up there.
DeleteCongratulations on all fronts, impressive house building skills and attitude and remembering where Houdi might be. (He's obviously no relation to Houdini or he would have escaped without your help!)
ReplyDeleteSorry that the message above says anonymous, it was from me! Rosemary.
ReplyDeleteHi Rosemary! Interestingly, his full name is Houdini. He was a feral kitten, brought inside against his strong feelings on the matter. In moments of stress, he 'disappears'.
DeleteGlad to hear you "found" Houdi and he's fine. He sounds like such a wonderful, intelligent, and resourceful cat.
ReplyDeleteHe is a clever cat. Pretty vocal too.
DeleteYou've reached a plateau in your build where you can see what lies ahead and know it. Great.
ReplyDeleteThat is a happy place to be, Red.
DeleteSlowly the mind works something over and snap, you knew where Houdi was. I wonder if the inspection will reveal a petty issue of some kind.
ReplyDeleteGads, I hope not. This guy seems friendly enough. The inspector for my brother and sister's place was not friendly at all, and delighted in finding fault. They were glad to see the back of him.
DeleteHoudini, ever the escape artist. But a happy ending, including the box!!
ReplyDeleteThat cat will be the death of me. Honestly!
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